We first met our Artist of the Month, Jessalyn Kline, at the 2018 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts High School Art Show. She had a gorgeous embroidered piece of art, full of meaning, color, and beauty. Of course, I asked her to share it with our wandering educators. You, too, will be amazed at her range of creativity, her eye for detail, and her passion for creating. Without further ado, the art and words of Jessalyn Kline...

Gorgeous. That's the word I use (usually out loud, in an exclamatory fashion) whenever I see our featured artist this month, Czech This Out (Petra and David Bachron), on instagram. I love their work, separately and combined. I love their story, and I love their passion for art, and life. 

Nayda Collazo-Llorens, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is an interdisciplinary visual artist working in multiple mediums including works on paper and canvas, video, installation works, printmedia and public interventions, among others. Through her practice, she examines how our minds perceive the world around us, dealing with concepts of navigation and mapping. 

I feel so lucky to live in Kalamazoo. This town is rife with creativity! Such is the case with our featured artist this month, Bridget Fox. She's just lovely in person, and her art? Well, it brings such joy. I especially love her paintings of water - they call to me, and soothe the soul. 

I love where I live!  

There is nothing more intriguing - and beautiful - than a handmade book. Created with care and skill, it invites endless possibilities...poems, stories, musings, sketches, watercolors - things that capture a moment. 

Imagine my pure delight at finding a bookbinding artist, Crystal Shaulis, here in Kalamazoo - through Instagram! I immediately fell in love with her work, vision, and dedication to her art.

This past fall, while watching the costume contest at Grand Rapids Comic Con, I was weary. I was sitting up front near stage left, so that I could get a glimpse of the incredible costumes as they exited the stage. However, as you know if you have seen a costume contest, they take a while.

Wandering the Artist Alley at Grand Rapids Comic Con, we were stunned with the talent everywhere we glanced. Like everyone in the hall, we looked and marveled, and then the next booth came, and we did the same, ad infinitem. When we discovered artist Melissa Cordes, though, we actually stopped (never an easy feat at a busy comic con) and talked. So impressed with her talent, beautiful art, wide variety of styles, and joy in creating, we knew we had to share her art with our wandering educators. 

I cannot express how excited I am to present my art teacher, Kaylon Khorsheed, as our featured Artist of the Month. She has challenged me in ways that I didn't know I needed; she works through problems with my ceramics even when I am frustrated with a piece - and not just to talk me out of putting it in the slop bin. She makes sure to spend time with everyone in the class, helping them with their goals and projects.